#20 - GOAT peaks project (2019)

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#20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#1 » by LA Bird » Sat Aug 31, 2019 12:31 pm

1) Michael Jordan 1990-91
2) LeBron James 2012-13
3) Wilt Chamberlain 1966-67
4) Shaquille O'Neal 1999-00
5) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1976-77
6) Tim Duncan 2002-03
7) Larry Bird 1985-86
8) Bill Russell 1963-64
9) Hakeem Olajuwon 1993-94
10) Magic Johnson 1986-87
11) Kevin Garnett 2003-04
12) Julius Erving 1975-76
13) Bill Walton 1976-77
14) Oscar Robertson 1963-64
15) Stephen Curry 2015-16
16) Dwyane Wade 2008-09
17) Jerry West 1965-66
18) David Robinson 1994-95
19) Dirk Nowitzki 2010-11

Please include at least 1 sentence of reasoning for each of your 3 picks. A simple list of names will not be counted.
If you're repeating votes from previous rounds, copy and paste the reasoning because "see previous thread for explanation" will not be counted as a valid vote.

Current deadline: 8am September 3 Eastern Time
The deadline will be extended by 24 hours (up to twice) if there is less than 12 votes or there is a tie for first


The Voting System:

Everyone gives their 1st choice (4.5 points), 2nd choice (3 points), and 3rd choice (2 points). Highest point-total wins the round.
You can use your 3 choices to vote for more than 1 season of the same player (if you think that the best 3 seasons among the players left belong all to the same player, nothing is stopping you from using all you 3 choices on that player), but you can't continue voting for other seasons of that player once he wins and gets his spot. The final list will be 1 season per player.

Thank you for your participation!

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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#2 » by E-Balla » Sat Aug 31, 2019 1:50 pm

E-Balla wrote:1. 83 Moses Malone - The short version is that Moses was the best player in the league, on an historically great team, with great +/- estimates, and a gamebreaking ability on the offensive boards (averaged 6.5 offensive rebounds a game from 79 to 83). The gap between him and Curry who has that same argument (replace rebounding with 3 point shooting) is that outside of that one amazing ability Moses was still well above average at everything else. His jumper, defense (in 83 at least), and post game was already solid. His one weakness was his weak passing ability but it didn't hinder his chance to lead great or mediocre teams so I don't know how much it concerns me.

2. 17 Russell Westbrook - I'm on record since 2017 saying next to 09 LeBron this is the best season I've seen since I've watched basketball religiously. The short version here is that he averaged a 30 point triple double, made 200 three pointers, was the most clutch player ever (sidebar but this is one of my favorite posts in RealGM history, and it perfectly encapsulates exactly how clutch he was), and averaged 37/12/11 in the playoffs while destroying Houston, only losing because his team was the worst team I've ever seen in the playoffs without him on the floor. Unlike many here he had to also overcome horrible fitting teammates (they had the worst 3 point percentage in the league outside of him) and the worst coach in the league.

3. 82 Moses Malone - Spoilered my original vote. New vote is 82 Moses. At first I was thinking his defense was too bad to place this highly especially with the loss in the 1st round but on second thought it's his best offensive season and the season where he did the most lifting for his team. I still think it pales compared to the carry job Wade did in 09 and Westbrook did in 17 but it's pretty damn good.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#3 » by HHera187 » Sat Aug 31, 2019 2:10 pm

N.1 STEVE NASH 2005
One of the best offensive season of all time, no doubt. Some advanced stats of his unbelievable season:
13 Box Creation / +7.7 rTS% / 9.5 passer rating
A goat level combination of scoring and playmaking. Amazing playoffs run, take a look at his WCF VS San Antonio defense.

N.2 KOBE BRYANT 2008
Probably the most balanced season of his career, especially with Pau on the team. His scoring was solid and resilient (57.6 TS in regular season, 57.7 in postseason).

N.3 KOBE BRYANT 2006
One of the most impressive scoring season of all time, with bad Spacing and high level usage: 34.2 pts per 75 with +2.2 rTS%. Despite the loss he was amazing Vs Phoenix in postseason.

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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#4 » by No-more-rings » Sat Aug 31, 2019 2:53 pm

1. 2006 Kobe- Reasons stated already, efficient high volume scoring machine, with decent enough playmaking to anchor a top 10 offense with relatively poor support. 06 Kobe would give you all that 08/09 could and possibly more.

2. 90 Pat Ewing- Highly efficient volume scorer and defensive anchor, took it to the Celtics in the 1st round dropping 31.6 ppg/59.7 ts%, and won in 5 who appeared to would’ve been favored over them that year, still managed 27 ppg/56 ts% against the eventual champion and very strong defense Pistons.

3. 2008 Kobe- Usually unsure between 08 and 09 Kobe, but all i know is his 08 gets the edge in the regular season due to higher volume/minutes and his postseason was only a little worse and would’ve been as good or better if he didn’t run into the arguable best defense of this millennium.

Rounding off 32/6/6 on 61 ts% through 3 rounds playing the 3rd, 10th and 12th ranked defense isn’t production that many if any left can claim here.

I don’t have much problem with Dirk over Kobe, but he really shouldn’t fall out of the top 20. I mean I don’t think you can be a top 11-15 player of all time and not have a top 20 peak.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#5 » by JoeMalburg » Sat Aug 31, 2019 3:26 pm

Barkley was getting votes around the top ten, what happened?

Did all his supporters leave the project?
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#6 » by No-more-rings » Sat Aug 31, 2019 3:28 pm

JoeMalburg wrote:Barkley was getting votes around the top ten, what happened?

Did all his supporters leave the project?

I only recall one poster even voting for him at all, and even then i think it was more around the 13-15 range.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#7 » by AdagioPace » Sat Aug 31, 2019 3:58 pm

JoeMalburg wrote:Barkley was getting votes around the top ten, what happened?

Did all his supporters leave the project?

let' say Barkley is part of those one-way players (loose definition) that have been surpassed by more modern/portable versions of him like Dirk and Durant. It also depends on the era I think. He's still ahead of them as a passer and rebounder.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#8 » by cecilthesheep » Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:05 pm

1. 1949 George Mikan - Mikan's peak was so far above his contemporaries that I don't think I can leave him out any longer. He was the most unstoppable scorer of basketball's first decade or two, he raised his game in the playoffs to lead his team to 5 titles in 6 years and create the league's first dynasty, and this was his most dominant year.

2. 1950 George Mikan - same player, second-best year, basically the same level of performance

3. 2009 Kobe Bryant - Well, I squinted at this long and hard, played devil's advocate in all the ways I could think of, but I don't think there's anyone left who beats Kobe. I do think it's true that he could turn his defense up in crucial moments, and I think that makes a difference; I also think his offensive load-bearing capabilities are the best remaining. You wouldn't think he could scale to championship-level teams, but that's exactly what he did at this point in his career. So Kobe it is. '09 over '08 mostly because of the ring and a lower turnover rate.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#9 » by cecilthesheep » Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:08 pm

It's looking like I might be voting Mikan for some time lol
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#10 » by cecilthesheep » Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:14 pm

Dirk over Kobe and Nash is very strange to me. Feel like Kobe's better for people who like two-way players (ish) and Nash is better for people who are okay with more one-way guys.
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T. Duncan '03 | L. Aldridge '18 | T. Cummings '90
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#11 » by No-more-rings » Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:21 pm

cecilthesheep wrote:Dirk over Kobe and Nash is very strange to me. Feel like Kobe's better for people who like two-way players (ish) and Nash is better for people who are okay with more one-way guys.

Do you think Dirk’s defense was neutral? I hear from some that he had legitimate impact on that end in like 2011, but it never really met with my eye test.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#12 » by cecilthesheep » Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:29 pm

No-more-rings wrote:
cecilthesheep wrote:Dirk over Kobe and Nash is very strange to me. Feel like Kobe's better for people who like two-way players (ish) and Nash is better for people who are okay with more one-way guys.

Do you think Dirk’s defense was neutral? I hear from some that he had legitimate impact on that end in like 2011, but it never really met with my eye test.

Yeah, I think neutral is fair. I do think 2011 was his best year, because he got way stronger at post defense and rotating, but he was so immobile by that point that his rotations still weren't incredible - he wasn't stupid, but he couldn't react to more than one thing at a time. That said, I haven't analyzed this in depth at all, so I could be totally off if someone has a better case for him.
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T. Duncan '03 | L. Aldridge '18 | T. Cummings '90
D. Robinson '95 | A. Gilmore '83 | S. Nater '75
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#13 » by penbeast0 » Sat Aug 31, 2019 7:35 pm

Y0u are not alone Cecil, though I'm really shaky at this point.

Mikan 49 -- very iffy vote. Yes, he was easily the most dominant but the competition at this point in the NBA's history takes a massive hit. Almost voted Connie Hawkins 68 over him but 68 ABA was even shakier.
Moses 81 -- 83 is sexier since he won a title but he was a one man wrecking crew in 81 and his team needed his scoring more and his passing less which helps him. 81 over 82 for the postseason.
Kobe 09 -- this is the season which made me reevaluate Kobe from a top 20 all-time to a top 10 all-time (pre LeBron). Winning it all with relatively weak support around him for a title team was pretty incredible.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#14 » by WarriorGM » Sat Aug 31, 2019 7:55 pm

penbeast0 wrote:Kobe 08 -- this is the season which made me reevaluate Kobe from a top 20 all-time to a top 10 all-time (pre LeBron). Winning it all with relatively weak support around him for a title team was pretty incredible.


2008 the Celtics won right? Maybe you are thinking of 2009? Or was making the finals in 2008 enough?
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#15 » by Sublime187 » Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:00 pm

Man Mikan better not make it in yet. It's the one guy I really do not want in for at least the next 10 to 15 spots. Guy was in the weakest era BY FAR of any great. A guy like Ewing, Barkley, Kobe and even Embiid should get in before him easily.

Imagine what Moses would do against that competition....
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#16 » by HBK_Kliq_33 » Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:15 pm

Sublime187 wrote:Man Mikan better not make it in yet. It's the one guy I really do not want in for at least the next 10 to 15 spots. Guy was in the weakest era BY FAR of any great. A guy like Ewing, Barkley, Kobe and even Embiid should get in before him easily.

Imagine what Moses would do against that competition....


Embiid before Kawhi? Kawhi just made peak embiid cry like a baby and averaged 35 points on 63% TS against him.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#17 » by penbeast0 » Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:26 pm

WarriorGM wrote:
penbeast0 wrote:Kobe 08 -- this is the season which made me reevaluate Kobe from a top 20 all-time to a top 10 all-time (pre LeBron). Winning it all with relatively weak support around him for a title team was pretty incredible.


2008 the Celtics won right? Maybe you are thinking of 2009? Or was making the finals in 2008 enough?


Well, it was that 08-10 run but you are right, 09. Will fix.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#18 » by 70sFan » Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:29 pm

You may kill me for that, but I think it's a good moment to consider Kawhi. I'm not sure I'd have him over Moses or Kobe, but he's close to them.

I also think that Gilmore could make some noise if Ewing does.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#19 » by penbeast0 » Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:29 pm

Sublime187 wrote:Man Mikan better not make it in yet. It's the one guy I really do not want in for at least the next 10 to 15 spots. Guy was in the weakest era BY FAR of any great. A guy like Ewing, Barkley, Kobe and even Embiid should get in before him easily.

Imagine what Moses would do against that competition....


Agree with that, the change from 50-59 was probably bigger than the change from 60 - today, it was a massive revolution in the game. That's why it's an iffy pick. On the other hand, in terms of dominating the league he was in and ignoring league strength, it's a top 5 season of all time.
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Re: #20 - GOAT peaks project (2019) 

Post#20 » by Mavericksfan » Sat Aug 31, 2019 9:29 pm

I’m liking Kobe 08 and 09 for my next two but torn in regards to Ewing vs Moses.

Any good arguments for Ewing and what year should I look at. I know his scoring peak was earlier but he anchored better teamz with worse boxscore production a few years later.

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